Saturday, October 18, 2014

iPads can be powerful teaching tools.In classrooms around the world iPads are mainly
used by teachers and students for consumption, curation, and creation of
information.Naturally, due to its
simplicity, consumption of information is the most common way in which iPads
are used in and out of the classroom.Also, many people use iPads for curating and organizing content.However, creation of information is one of
the most powerful ways students can use iPads in the classroom because it
allows them to unleash their creativity and illustrate their knowledge in
multifaceted ways.

One of the most inventive ways of using iPads to create
content is app smashing.App smashing is
the process of using more than one apps in conjunction with one another to
create a final product.Combine that
with the unique ability of Apple’s products to communicate content seamlessly
between devices, and students have at their disposal the perfect powerhouse of
content creation.In this article, I
will outline the process I use with my students in order to create a final
product that redefines learning and provides a glimpse into the creativity and
inventiveness of the human mind.

Step I: Start with
the end product in mind

Before beginning a project, one has to ensure that he/she
has a clear vision of the final product.This is mainly because the playful nature of many of the iPad’s apps
makes it easy for a child to get distracted and eventually deviate from the
main goal.In my classroom, before we
even begin a project, we discuss what we want to achieve, and define as clearly
as possible what the final product should look like, as well as what we will try
to accomplish during each individual step.

Step II: Create a
list of the apps you will be using

Once the final product is clearly defined, then the process
of app selection begins.The goal here
is to curate a collection of apps that a) communicate with each other via the
Camera app, or via the “open in” function, and b) allow the user to build a
layer of content, that will serve as a foundation for the content that will be
laid upon by the next app.

Step III: outline the
process with specific details

Most children today are digital natives and need little or
no support, even when they work with fairly complex digital content.However, many elementary children, not to
mention most adults, will probably need some level of support, at least during
their first app smashing activity.One
of the best strategies here is to create an outline specifying the different
steps the students should follow when they work with each app.A short video tutorial might be a great guide
that answers all, or most of the questions that students might have, and
refines the process.

Part IV: Publish the
final product in accessible and appropriate ways.

Once the final product is created, it should be shared so
that the students will demonstrate their knowledge beyond the walls of the
classroom.This inevitably creates some
challenges, as privacy concerns should be addressed, especially with younger
children.Although YouTube and social
media might be appropriate places to share content created by some students,
there may be other services or platforms that are more suitable for other
students, especially elementary students.Some examples are Vimeo, DropBox, Box, TeacherTube, and Google
Drive.Parents, teachers, and schools
define the various levels of privacy differently, which means that the choice
might be based on factors that provide a level of privacy acceptable by
everyone.

WHAT APP SMASHING
LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE:

Step I: Start with
the end product in mind:

The students will
create an iBook about the Solar System.The iBook will contain text, pictures, videos, and 3-dimensional models.

On
any computer, Mac or PC, open SketchUp, click on the picture of the person that
appears when you start a SketchUp project and then click “delete”.Once your area is clear, Click on “File”,
then “3D Warehouse”, then “Get Models”.In the upper left corner, in the “search” field, type the word of the object
you need, in this case, a planet.Click
on the picture you need, and then click “download”.That will bring the picture in the Sketch Up
model.Then click “File”, “Export”, and
then “3D Model”.Name the file and make
sure you save it as a .Collada file.Your 3D file is now ready to be imported in iBooks Author.Alternatively, you can use the process
outlined in the video below and create your own 3D content.

iBooks Author

On
a MacBook, open iBooks Author and choose a template. Use the appropriate
wizards to import videos, pictures and the 3D Collada files you created in
SketchUp.Bring in the intro video you
created in Keynote and drop it in “Intro Media”.When you finish your iBook, click on “File”
then “Export”, then “iBook”.

Step IV: Publish the
final product in accessible and appropriate ways.

Google Drive: The final iBook was uploaded on the school’s Google
Drive and it was shared with the students via their school email addresses.NOTE:
Plato Academy has adopted Google Apps for Education.Every teacher, parent, and student at Plato
Academy has his/her own platoacademy.net email account.